Hollow block building construction



June 20, 1950 J, PEZZANO 2,512,550

HOLLOW BLOCK BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Fil ed April 2, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 f3 FIE: 2'

IN V EN TOR. V. AZZA 4 0 HTTGRNEX June 20, 1950 J- PEZZANO HOLLOW BLOCK BUILDING CONSTRUCTION 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. a

l I 220/? 4) m N 7528/2 J PEZZANO HOLLOW BLOCK BUILDING CONSTRUCTION June 20, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 2, 1946 mmvrozc 222 400.

Patented June 20, 1950 UNITED, "STATES PATENT OFFICE Y 2,512,550 I V f v nonl ow BLOCK BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Joseph Pezzano, Staten Island, Y.

Application April 2, 1946, Serial No. 659,006

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to buildingconstruction, and aims to provide novel and useful improvements in building blocks and in the construction of walls, foundations, floors, and partitions of buildings utilizing the improved blocks whereby ventilating or air-circulating passages are provided through the walls of'the house or structure whereby warm air may be circulated through the same in winter and cool 'air in the summer, the inlets in each case being in the cellar tying the blocks of a wall together to form'a unitary wall possessing a degree of resiliency which is desirable in many cases.

The above broad as well as additional and more specific objects will become apparent in the following description, wherein characters of reference refer to like-numbered'parts in the accompanying drawings. It is to be noted that the drawings are intended to serve the purpose of illustration only, and that it'is neither desired nor intended to limit the invention necessarily to any or all of the exact details of construction shown excepting insofar as they may be deemed essential to the invention.

Referring briefly to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view, with parts broken away and partly in section, ofa structure utilizing and embodying'the invention. v

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of a wall constructed of the'blocks of this invention, with parts broken away to expose the interior, and partly in section.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of one of the blocks per se, taken on the line4'4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken 'on'the line 66 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the block connector member per se. v

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the same.

Fig.9 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 9--9 of Fig. 2; Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing a modified construction; Fig. 11 is a fragmentary plan view of a wall such as shown in Fig. 10; Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the modified type of block; Fig. 13 is a fragmentary perspective view of the latterused as an end material such as, for instance, concrete, comprises a pair of opposed side walls I4 and a pair of end walls I 5. Formed as a bridge between the side walls I 4, or as a lateral brace, and positioned intermediate the end walls I5 but nearer one wall than the other, is the cross-member [6.

Intermediate the width of the brace 5, between the end recesses or cut-outs I I, the upper surface at the right-hand end (Fig. 3) "is formed in rounded wave-like shape, to provide the waveshaped hump l8. The lower surface directly under the hump I8 is likewise formed into a complementary wave-shaped hump l9 between similar end recesses 20.

The left-hand end wall (Fig. 3) isprovided with a substantially identical cross-brace 2|, facing in the same direction as the brace IE but integral with that end wall. The brace 2| is likewise formed in the same shape as the brace l 6, having the same upper and lower wave-shaped humps 22 and 23, respectively, between the end recesses 24 and 25, respectively; It is thus apparent that if the blocks are turned upside down theywill be exactly the same as before turning them; I

Interconnector members or binders are used to tie the blocks of one row with those of the next adjacent row, and they may be used to erect a wall without mortar, or with mortar, as shown at 26. The blocks of one row are ofcourse staggered with respect to those of the adjacent row, so that the front or right-hand (Figs.'2 and 3) surface of each brace l6 of the blocks of one row lies in the same vertical plane asthe frontsurface of- Fig. 9.

When the first and second row of blocks' 13 have been 'laid, binders 21* are in-se'rted downward and their lower grips 3| are engaged over the lower humps l9 of the lower row of blocks. Then, and owing to the resiliency of the hinders. the upper grips 30 are snapped over the upper humps 2201 the brace-members 2| of the blocks in the upper or second row. After the third row of blocks has been laid, additional binders 21 have their lower grips 3| engaged over the lower humps 23 of the second row and their upper grips 3| snapped over the upper humps I8 of the third row. And so on, until the wall has been erected to its ful height. The end recesses ll, 26, 24 and 25 provide space for the finger of the worker to assist in placing the binder grips or in shifting them laterally, and of course they provide means whereby the binders may be readily disengaged from the blocks in: case it is desired to dismantle a wall, or merely to remov a block.

Below the bottom row of blocks l3 in Fig. 1 is shown a single row of blocks 32 which are positi'oned on the floor level 33 of the cellar or basement, or at any other desirable level. These are hollow blocksopen at the top, or at both the top and bottom, and provided with lateral passages 3% through the inner wall thereof whereby communication is' provided between the cellar chamber and the first row of blocks l' 3.

All of the blocks l3 have vertical a-i-r passages 35 and 3.6 therethrough, as is obvious, so that when the wall has been erected. air may circulate upward through the blocks in the manner indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2.

Blocks 13a, similar in construction to the blocks I3 but formed of a lighter weight material: such as, by way of example, a fibrous composition, may be similarly used for the construction. of the floor shown in Fig. l. The air circulating through the walls of the structure will have free outlet at the top of the wall, as shown in Fig. 1, and the top openings into the wall may be protected from the weather in any manner or by any suitable means, not shown. However, the roof, not shown, whether of the flat or the sloping type, could also, be formed. of. the blocks H.

The modified type of block shown in Figs. 10, ll, 12 and 14-, and indicated at 35, comprises a pair of opposed side walls 36 having transverse partitions 3'1, 38, 39, and 4|} extending therebetween substantially as shown, thereby providing three: equal-sized. openings or passages 41, 42, and 43 extending vertically through the block. At their extremities both walls 36 extend. beyond the end: partitions" 31 and 40 at 44- and 45 to a distance which is equal to somewhat less and somewhat greater, respectively, than. one-half the width of the passages mentioned. Thus, when a. plurality of blocks 35 are laid end to end to. form a row of. blocks in a wall, as shown in Figs. and i1, thev mutually abutting ends of the blocks form, between said ends, passages 46 which are of the same dimensions as the previously mentioned passages. Each side wall 36 is further provided on its outside and integral therewith, with a platelike addition 47 offset with respect to the wall 36 to provide a right-angled vertical rabbet- 48 at one end and a projecting tongue 49 at the other end. Moreover, the lower edge 50 of the addition 41 extends below the lower edge of the wall 36, and its upper edge 5| is positioned below the upper edge of the wall 36.

Thus, the blocks in one row are laid out with the extensions 44-45 of adjacent blocks in contact and the ends of the walls 41 of the blocks close to but spaced from each other. The blocks of one row rest upon those of the row below as shown in Fig. 14, with the tops of the walls 36 of the lower block registering against the bottoms of the walls 36 of the upper block with the lower edges 50 of the upper block overhanging the tops of the walls 36 of the lower block and lying close to but spaced from the additions 41 of the lower block. Thus, the various blocks 36 interlock with the blocks of the same row as well as with those of the next upper and lower rows. Those blocks 35a which are to serve as end blocks of arow have one end surface, 5|, flat, as shown.

As is common practice, the blocks of one row in a; wall are staggered with respect to the blocks in the next adjacent rows, and the positioning of the passages 4i, 42, 43, and 46 is such that the openings or passages 4| of one rowwill be aligned with the passages 43 of the rows above and below; likewise, the passages 42 of the one row will be aligned with the passages 46 of the adjacent rows; and the passages 43 of the one row will be aligned with the passages 41 of the adjacent rows; and the. passages 46 of the one row will be aligned with the passages 42'- of the adjacent rows. Obviously the aligned passages just mentioned will extend throughout the height of the wall. Alternate aligned passages, in every case extending through every such aligned passage which includes the passages 46 of every row, are filled in with mortar or the like, as shown. Thus all of the blocks of each row are cemented together, andall the rows of the wall are likewise cemented together. Those passages which remain in the wall between the filled in passages, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 10, provide open passages up the entire: height of the wall for the purpose of ventilation, as before-mentioned. The lowermost row of blocks of the wall shown in Fig. 10 would be constructed substantially similarly to the showing in Fig. 1.

The simplicity of erecting a wall after the method set forth, utilizing the blocks 35,. is obvious, and the blocks 35 are well adapted to mass production out of any suitable building material, such as, for instance, concrete. Thus an inexpensive building construction has been presented, which will satisfy the requirements of a sound and sturdy structure as well as ofier the advantages of air circulation through the walls.

The structure illustrated in Figs. 1-9, inclusive, not only provides for circulation of air therethrough, but also possesses a degree of resiliency owing to the binder interconnectors between the blocks and rows, which will enable the structure to withstand concussion or strains, whether gradual or sudden, which the ordinary structure is unable to absorb without damage. The standardization of the construction of the blocks l3, of the connectors 21, and of the manner of erecting the wall utilizing these blocks, also provide for economy in cost of construction.

Obviously, modifications in form and structure may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

In combination, a wall comprising horizontal rows of building blocks, said blocks of each row being staggered with respect to the blocks of the next adjacent rows, said blocks each comprising a pair of upright side walls and a pair of upright end walls, a cross-member extending between said side walls at one side of the middle of said block, said end wall more distant from saidoross-member having a similar cross-member integral with and extending therefrom in the direction of said first cross-member, the upper and lower surfaces of said cross-members having wave-shaped humps thereon extending through the entire width of said cross-members, and binder members having means on their lower ends engaging said lower humps on said lastnamed cross-members of the lower of a mutually adjacent pair of saidrows oi! blocks and havin means on their upper ends engaging the upper of said humps on said first-named cross-members of the upper blocks of said pair of rows of blocks, said binder members having upright bodies whose width very substantially exceeds the thickness thereof, said bodies having each 15 ing substantially-at right angles to said body and having substantially the same width as said cross-members, said grips registering in their respective said humps of said blocks.

JOSEPH PEZZANO.

REFERENCES CITED Theifollowing references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 494,036 Smith Mar. 21, 1893 1,435,865 McDaniel Nov. 14, 1922 1,472,680 Rofilno Oct. 30, 1923 1,652,743 Smith Dec. 13, 1927 1,874,790 Mortensen Aug. 30, 1932 2,292,085 Powell Aug. 4, 1942 2,311,628 Andrews Feb. 23, 1943 

